The Moneyless Chicken

They're necessities and rarely offered free - so I can buy those if I run out. Also coffee, sugar, butter and dog food, but  I think I have enough of everything.

Half way though January and I've only bought dog biscuits and pseudo-butter so far. Haven't been to Morries since December. Should make it to February without buying anything else.

^^^ I did have to go to Morries on 26/1 to buy some Dog biscuits, sugar and suet logs for the birds - none of which I eat, so they don't count.
The Moneyless Chicken has a new Challenge for February, in addition to buying as little as possible.
I'm going to mark my performance each day as follows:-
Every meal I eat will earn 1 point if all the ingredients are Free or homemade. (sugar, flour, oil, butter, spices and similar store cupboard items don't count).
Every meal that includes something picked from the garden or made from garden stuff (like jam) has a Bonus point.
The most I can score in a day is 6 points (6 x 28 days in February = 168) and that's my aim.
If the day's food costs more than £1, a point is deducted.
For example, today's meals
Sourdough bread & free marmalade = 1
Smoked cheese, mayonnaise sachets, Iceberg lettuce and GH rocket = 2
YS Salmon (57p), leftover potato and stir-fried kale from the garden = 1
Total cost 57p. Points 4.

For the record, I gave up on the points scoring in the last post - even I found it was too complicated. Also for the record I had to stop using homemade deodorant as it made my armpits itchy. Shame really as it worked and was cheap.
Most days my food costs less than £1.
I haven't drunk coffee for months - only herb teas, most of which have been free. Alcohol hasn't passed my lips for several years - don't miss it at all.
My latest wheeze is following a WW2 rationing diet which means I can't eat the chocolate, biscuits and cakes, crisps etc that I would often nibble on, usually late evening. Its Day 6 and I'm already losing weight. If I can drop a few more pounds I'll be able to wear some clothes that I haven't be able to wear for a year or two - so I won't need to buy any clothes to fit. Haven't bought any since I started this thread (Jan 2022).

Wartime slogan that is still valid - “Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without”.

Good idea, your point and WW2 rationing systens are enough to confuse anyone. As for wear it out, what's the oldest garment you have that you still could wear today (give or take a few pounds perhaps). Thinking of my own wardrobe I have a beautiful turquoise blue blouse that was my mother's (she died in 2009)and I believe I can remember it from when I was around 12, so it's over 56 yrs old and still suitable for civilised company if a bit tight.

Not sure what my oldest clothes are. I still wear lots of the tops I used to wear to work - with skirts then, now with jeans. I gave up work as a hobby about 28 years ago. I still trot a couple of the dark suits out for funerals. That's the only time my legs come out in public.

Good idea, your point and WW2 rationing systens are enough to confuse anyone.  As for wear it out, what's the oldest garment you have  that you still could wear today (give or take a few pounds perhaps). Thinking of my own wardrobe I have a beautiful turquoise blue blouse that was my mother's (she died in 2009)and I believe I can remember it from when I was around 12, so it's over 56 yrs old and still suitable for civilised company if a bit tight.

I'm a tee shirt guy! I still have tee shirts from my teenager years so they are over 50 years old and still fit..................I've just realised that!

I’ve got a dress I bought for my nieces wedding 30 year ago the materials pretty so I did intend making it into cushion cover’s. Instead I’ve shortened it, just need to hem the bottom then it’s wearable.

The Moneyless Chicken is approaching two years spending as little as possible on food, clothes and unnecessary stuff. I still haven't bought any clothes but I have had to buy a few electronic items this year which was a bit of a disappointment! My laptop had problems, including keys falling off!, so I bought a second hand replacement for it. It runs Windows 11 and, as I found out last night, the printer won't work with Win 11 and there are no drivers available to update it. Bought a cheap printer today. I also bought a cheap mobile phone in the summer as the old one couldn't be updated and, whilst not quite a gadget, I had to have a new electric shower installed. Its been an expensive year!! About £500 in total, otherwise, I've spent very little. Looking forward to another year of being tight!

The Moneyless Chicken is back for another year of frugality.
My aim this year is to spend less than £1 a day on food and to source most of my food from Food waste (£5 Pantry, Olio, yellow stickers) plus whatever I can grow. The £5 Pantry counts as Free, even though it isn't. (My Rules).
To spend less than a £1 a day averaged over the year on the garden.
To buy No new clothes or toiletries.
To give away 366 unwanted items during the year.

On Christmas Eve (remember that far back!) I picked up three (out of date) sourdough loaves from a stand outside my church. There was a sign saying." Please take - useful for breadcrumbs and stuffing".
This was at about 4 30pm when most people were already at home preparing for the big day. The stand was labelled "Reduce, Reuse,Recycle".
Anyway - my daughter was horrified that I had taken them from a what she called. Food bank.
She is really cross with me for "stealing from the needy".
Oh dear!!